What does the term, "Digital native" mean to you? Does it even bear any significance at all in today's world, or is it simply an over-used term used to make the younger generation feel superior? Let's back up a bit. What does, "Native" mean? Native is defined as, "Being the place or environment in which a person was born or a thing came into being." A native is someone who grew up in a certain way or environment, and they're totally comfortable in their surroundings because those surroundings are all they ever knew. In simpler terms, a digital native is an individual who has grown up in the digital age.
Digital natives are familiar with all kinds of technology and whatnot because they have been around it their entire lives. There is no adapting. There is no change. They are truly natives in the digital world.
Being a digital native is something I pride myself on. Though the rest of the academic world may frown upon the fast-paced track of technology and its constant changes which it brings to the educational field, I welcome the change. Tehcnology is something that we have been gifted with. Think back a few years when there weren't cell phones. What happens when your car breaks down? Who do you call? What do you do? This is a perfect example of how technology has not only made our lifes simpler and easier, but also safer. Why worry about your young teenager out late at night driving around when you can track them on the built in GPS? Computers, cell phones- these are the foundations ofour my generation.
I realize that growing up with such incredible technology leads to a problem for those who were not as fortunate, however. My mother often comes to me simply needing to copy and paste something to a document. For me, that's something I've been able to do since I was ten. Right-click, copy, right-click, paste. And yet to the older generation(s), this is new material. They are having to learn and adapt to a totally new way of thinking and behaving. What is common sense for me may be an extremely difficult concept for my aunt to grasp. This can be frustrating at times, but I think the key to being a digital native is taking advantage of your upbringing. As a digital native, I was raised in an environment where computers and cell phones have almost always been present. Now, I can do one of two things with this knowledge- one, I can waste it on myself; or two, I can help my mother, my aunt, my uncle, to learn more about this technology which they are not as familiar with as myself.
The world is changing, my friends. Technology is shaping our lives, whether we realize it or not. What used to be unheard of is now commonplace, and yet it doesn't stop. Technology is always changing, always moving, always improving. "The young people becoming university students and new entrants in the workforce, while living much of their lives online, are different from us along many dimensions. Unlike those of us just a shade older, this new generation didn’t have to relearn anything to live lives of digital immersion. They learned in digital the first time around; they only know a world that is digital."
Digital natives are familiar with all kinds of technology and whatnot because they have been around it their entire lives. There is no adapting. There is no change. They are truly natives in the digital world.
Being a digital native is something I pride myself on. Though the rest of the academic world may frown upon the fast-paced track of technology and its constant changes which it brings to the educational field, I welcome the change. Tehcnology is something that we have been gifted with. Think back a few years when there weren't cell phones. What happens when your car breaks down? Who do you call? What do you do? This is a perfect example of how technology has not only made our lifes simpler and easier, but also safer. Why worry about your young teenager out late at night driving around when you can track them on the built in GPS? Computers, cell phones- these are the foundations of
I realize that growing up with such incredible technology leads to a problem for those who were not as fortunate, however. My mother often comes to me simply needing to copy and paste something to a document. For me, that's something I've been able to do since I was ten. Right-click, copy, right-click, paste. And yet to the older generation(s), this is new material. They are having to learn and adapt to a totally new way of thinking and behaving. What is common sense for me may be an extremely difficult concept for my aunt to grasp. This can be frustrating at times, but I think the key to being a digital native is taking advantage of your upbringing. As a digital native, I was raised in an environment where computers and cell phones have almost always been present. Now, I can do one of two things with this knowledge- one, I can waste it on myself; or two, I can help my mother, my aunt, my uncle, to learn more about this technology which they are not as familiar with as myself.
The world is changing, my friends. Technology is shaping our lives, whether we realize it or not. What used to be unheard of is now commonplace, and yet it doesn't stop. Technology is always changing, always moving, always improving. "The young people becoming university students and new entrants in the workforce, while living much of their lives online, are different from us along many dimensions. Unlike those of us just a shade older, this new generation didn’t have to relearn anything to live lives of digital immersion. They learned in digital the first time around; they only know a world that is digital."
Great insights!
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